A group of around thirty students from the University of Navarra insulted the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, with homophobic slurs as he was leaving the Faculty of Communication. This incident occurred after Grande-Marlaska had participated in the “Telling Terror” event. The university’s rector, María Iraburu, has condemned the actions and announced that they will conduct an investigation to identify and sanction the individuals involved. The government, the Navarre regional government, and representatives from various political parties have all denounced the incident.
The students confronted Grande-Marlaska as he was leaving the Faculty of Communication, where he had given a speech to inaugurate the event. Initially, the Minister was supposed to exit through the main entrance, but due to the presence of a large group of students, he left through a side exit. Upon noticing this change, some students rushed to follow the security vehicles and began to insult and jeer at Grande-Marlaska. The situation only lasted a few seconds, as the Minister quickly got into his official car and left the premises. Following his departure, the students chanted “vote for Txapote” before dispersing.
María Chivite, the president of the Socialist Party in Navarre, expressed her support for Grande-Marlaska and condemned the “serious, deplorable, and homophobic insults” that he endured. She stated that such behavior is intolerable and not representative of Navarre. Cristina Ibarrola, the president of UPN, the primary opposition party in the region, also condemned the incident and emphasized the need for political disagreement to be expressed with respect and dialogue. The Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, denounced the homophobic insults towards Marlaska and reiterated a commitment to advancing rights. The PSOE has called for immediate condemnation from the leaders of the PP and Vox parties.
The University of Navarra strongly denounced the insults and described the students’ behavior as “unacceptable and unjustifiable”. Rector María Iraburu expressed that such actions are condemnable in any context, but especially within an academic institution where respect and dialogue should prevail. The university publicly apologized to the Minister and announced plans to identify the students involved and initiate disciplinary proceedings against them.
This incident is not the first of its kind at the University of Navarra. Earlier this year, six law students from the university insulted the President of the Navarre regional government, María Chivite, by writing “bitch” in the parliamentary guestbook. The university took disciplinary action against the students, including community service, organizing activities promoting respect, and psychological training to address impulsivity. Such incidents highlight the importance of promoting a culture of respect and dialogue within educational institutions and society as a whole.
